


Meetings and Matches

by AppleSoda



Category: Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, Naruto
Genre: Cutesy, Ding ding ding, F/M, Family Fluff, Gen, Sports, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-16
Updated: 2020-09-20
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:48:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24764920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AppleSoda/pseuds/AppleSoda
Summary: A time traveling mission makes Sasuke rethink about the value of family. Sarada suggests a present that Sakura would like.
Relationships: Haruno Sakura & Uchiha Sarada & Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura/Uchiha Sasuke
Comments: 3
Kudos: 87





	1. Chapter 1

For many years, Sasuke Uchiha had lived in solitude. There was no room for error, and only obstacles ahead of him mattered. People were incidental— either of use or just in the way.

Whenever he had the chance to reach for the years that vengeance had taken from him—no— that he had taken from himself, his mind slowed, and the murkiness of the past began to stick to him. Such was one of the burdens to bear, he thought, carrying on reconnaissance for the village that he’d once have traded anything to escape.

“You know, Papa….you shouldn’t push yourself too hard, even if you’ve got important missions,” Sarada chirped. “If it’s not good for you, you won’t do your best. Could I have some of your fries?” She added.

It was almost surreal, how their time spent together had passed, and just how far things had changed since the war-torn world— partially of his own making— of his youth.

The brightly lit fast food restuarant had been her choosing. It swarmed with people milling about the tables and booths. With a brief shift of his hand, he nudged the paper carton of mostly untouched fries over to his daughter. “Go ahead.” He had bought them mostly to have the seat across from her.

“Tell me about your mission with Boruto,” she said, dipping the fried snacks into ketchup and looking back up. “Was it exciting? He szys you found a turtle that could go back in time!”

“Yes.” The answer had come out more clipped than he wanted. Sarada was different, of course, than everyone else he could easily keep secrets from. She was the future, bright and unburdened, and what he had fought for. “The village….it’s changed since that time. For the better, I think.”

“Did you run into Lord Seventh? And Lord Sixth? And Mama?” Setting aside her food, Sarada leaned forward, propping herself on her elbows. His child had seemed to be someone that would grow up to be inquisitive, and for a brief moment, Sasuke remembered sunny days and a brother that withstood endless questions from a much smaller boy with simpler needs. No matter what, she had to be kept on a path that was safer and kinder.

“Naruto was the same as he is now. Thick-headed. Try-hard,” Sasuke smirked, closing his eyes and seeing the Hokage and his son, spitting images of one another, try to form a Rasengan in unison. He knew that Sarada had taken a liking for his classmate’s overly energetic style of leadership, and had her heart set on the Hokage’s seat. “Kakashi-sensei was away, and your mother….”

He hesitated. Sakura had been there, of course, but on the roof, she had brandished a piece of paper and demanded where the boy on her team had gone. Her hair shorn and her mind wandering, she had healed a wound that had set him back, chakra depleted and a stubborn monster of a man they still pursued at the time. Sakura was pained, and Sasuke knew all too well what the source of it was. But what he knew had to be kept secret.

In the end, had no answer for the girl, and nothing to leave behind save a safer village that none but Boruto and he had really remembered.

In the actual years between his time in the Leaf and the years of wandering, Sasuke hadn’t thought much of her, save in fleeting rememberances. Naruto, too, had vanished from his mind save for the desire to defeat the rival that had always stood in his way. And yet, the time that he had spent was a lingering doubt on Sasuke’s mind.

The discomfort gnawed at him, insistent and stubborn. The mission hadn’t been a problem, and the Leaf was kept safe, in past and present. And at the end of the day, he had come home.

Nagging, impulsive questions remained, no matter how hard he had tried to resume missions and reconaissance work for the Leaf. When had Sakura made the change from shrill, annoying girl to thoughtful and determined kunoichi? And why now, of all times, did it start to matter what he had done to her?

He had never had the chance to find out the first time around. There was no reason to, after all. In the past, Sasuke had no room for error.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if she had a huuuuge crush on you back then,” Sarada nodded. She thought for a moment, then held up a finger. “Hey, since you’re spending more time in the village….why don’t we surprise her with something?”

“A surprise?” Sasuke repeated. He fidgeted with the straw of his ice water. “Like….a present?” Sakura had been the go-to person for presents, dinners in their household. Even on the rare occasions he visited home, he felt as if he’d been handed a role, caught up on their daughter’s missions, and asked if he wanted something to eat.

He thought to the night after the mission into the past, when the door to their apartment closed on a very long day. On any other occasion, that would have been a moment to let the conversation end where it was, and let the night slip into silence. That was how it always was on the rare occasions he went home. Time had righted itself, but still there was the distance of years between them.

At the very least, he had someone to help him try to make Sakura happy this time around.

“Okay,” Sasuke answered, looking towards his daughter. “What is it you’d like to get her?” 

= = =

On the train ride over, Sarada and Sakura had been hunched together, talking hurriedly over a magazine. Sakura in particular had been excited, and occasionally jabbed at the pages with an energetic grin. Where they were going, Sarada wouldn’t say. He had never paid much attention to what girls were interested in— movies? Clothes? Karin had never been much of a talker on such things. Sakura’s attentions had been taken by a war, her missions, or raising Sarada.

Sasuke felt himself get pulled off the train by his sleeves. They rushed over to a glowing large stadium— newly built, if he had remembered a recent meeting with Naruto correctly.

“Your ticket, Papa.” A stub was pressed into his hand by a grinning Sarada. “Don’t worry. She’ll love this.”

The three of them wandered through the crowds past a bustling gate, and into the interior of the dome. Colorful banners its walls, as did glass cases full of awards and trophies. They made their way to their seats, and Sasuke felt something soft jammed on his head. He looked over at his daughter, who was stifling a laugh.

He held up a cheap baseball cap, colored blue and much too small, that read MY FIRST LEAF WRESTLEFEST.

“Sorry, it was mama’s idea,” Sarada called over, not sorry in the least as she sat down. At the sight of the gift, Sakura laughed, despite herself.

“I think the color suits you, Sasuke.” She said gently, before turning back to her brochure. A quick glance over at a giggling Sarada later, Sasuke jammed the hat back on his head and looked towards the center of the ring.

Wrestling. Of course it had to be something like that.

“Welcome!” boomed the announcer. “Shinobi, ladies and gentlemen! Are you ready to RUMMMMMMBLEEEEEEEEE???????!” Strobe lights flashed, bright and neon, across the arena. The lights on the stage circled towards the center to reveal a square ring, surrounded by ropes. Sakura’s eyes lit up, and she pulled on his arm.

“It’s starting, it’s starting!” She pointed to the brochure. “Okay, let me tell you who we’re going to root for. It all started earlier this season…..”

She began chattering away, explaining a tale of the wrestling matches that she and Sarada had watched intently. It had never occurred to him, simply through being away, that they had developed a shared hobby. Sarada was so serious when she trained, after all, that there appeared to be no other side to her. And Sakura, too, had divided her time among the hospital or their small home. All these roles, she had handled quietly and without fuss.

But now, in a world where it was impossible not to clash and shout, she came alive.

Sakura clenched a fist as a neon pink- dressed wrestler threw her opponent into the mat with a resounding thump. The sight of his family, small as it was, relaxed and happy wasn’t much. In the grand scheme of the work that was still left to do, it was arguable that the three of them spending the evening was insigificant. But to Sasuke Uchiha, it was enough, for whatever it was worth.

“What do you like about that wrestler?” Sasuke asked, pulling closer. Try as he might to remain distance, he couldn’t help but smile inwardly as his wife blushed at their proximity. As long as he had time to try, Sasuke knew he’d have to use it. Unexpected as the mission was, it was a lesson to keep what he valued close.


	2. Chapter 2

The subway cars clacked as station after station passed, ferrying cars full of tired passengers back from the stadium to the Leaf village. Even late at night, it hadn’t been easy to find seats for all three of them.

“Is she asleep?” Sasuke asked.

For the past few stops, Sarada had been leaning against her mother, slumped over slightly. She held the new poster she had gotten at the stadium like a precious prize. Sakura read quietly from the brochure of the matches, her lips moving silently as she went over details of her favorite wrestlers.

“YES! FINISH HIM!” she had yelled without mercy an hour ago ago, watching her favorite fighter jump from the top ropes onto his opponent. With a resounding thud, the other man collapsed with a theatric groan.

“Watch it, lady!” The man in front of them snapped, turning around and gesturing at the back of his seat. She had slammed it so hard that a crack had appeared in the plastic framing.

“Ah, sorry, sorry!” Flushing in embarassment, she sat back down and nudged Sarada, before continuing to cheer on the newly-declared champion.

It was foreign, to be in a place and time like this. Though nothing particularly dangerous followed him, the stillness of life set Sasuke on edge, simply because of the sparse, travel-filled schedule he usually kept. Keeping a close eye on the notice board tracking their stations, Sasuke glanced over at Sakura and Sarada, and the quiet night of the village that they sped towards. How easy it was, to simply return to a place that had been closed off to him for so many years. And yet, sometimes he had chosen to close offhis path hom himself.

But time and again, there were people there that knew where he belonged in the end. No matter how undeserving he was or what he’d burned in the wake of the War. The decades had put space and a village reborn over the years of destruction and recklessness that had earned Sasuke his self-imposed exile.

“It’s not often that we get to go out like this, us three.” Sakura turned to him, clearly pleased at how the evening was spent. Sasuke reminded himself to thank Sarada before he left for his next mission.

“Kakashi-sensei says you’ve been setting up a new wing of the hospital?” He asked. Work had always been an easy topic, because it took the edge off of the memories he returned to when there wasn’t any to be done.

“Mm,” she nodded. “It’s been my dream to do more with children’s health. To help them in mind and spirit instead of just physical health and chakra.” Withdecisive nod, she rapped the rolled-up brochure against the side of the seat. “Honestly, you’d be surprised at the pushback we’ve gotten for that.” Her grip on the brochure tightened briefly.

“Really?” Sasuke found himself asking, wanting to hear her. All the years he had spent running away from the voice, and now he stumbled across trying to keep a conversation going. But trepidation about sounding unhelpful aside, he stilled and prepared to listen.

“ANBU’s always asking for more funds for science corps research. And I get that security for the village is important, but wellness is what keeps a shinobi ready for missions. And it’s not just them, but their families we’ve got to take care about.” Sakura shook her head. “Tsunade-sama’s always struggled with this, so of course her successors would, as well.”

“Ah,” she caught herself. “I’m sorry, I’ve been bogged down with this for a week—” She stammered.

“Don’t apologize,” Sasuke replied curtly. “It’s important work for the village, and they’re lucky to have you to do it.” It was easy to tell the truth about Sakura, who had been far stronger than the circumstances that tested her constantly. Sarada had been in pain, after all, when she had chased after him. What it had done to mother and daughter had stuck with him like another bad memory in a lifetime full of them.

But his life hadn’t ended, and he hadn’t been cut down, even though many battled warranted it. Step by step, mistake after mistake, he would try to start again.

Sakura’s soft, mufffled sneeze stirred him from his thoughts. She rubbed her arms, wincing.

“It’s getting cold,” she said. “I should have brought a coat if I’d known.”

“Here,”Sasuke replied.

Making absolutely sure Sarada was still slumbering, he drew his cloak and draped half of it over Sakura’s shoulders. Instantly, she turned bright red under his overcoat, and looked off to the side as she cuddled closer for warmth. He could feel the quiet, steady beat of her heart, and like any other day, was never quite sure what to do to not break it. It scared him, slightly although absolutely nothing could get him to admit such a thing.

“Kakashi….of course, you bastard.” Sasuke muttered under his breath.

“Kakashi-sensei?” Sakura looked over, a knowing smile on her face. “Well, What’s he got to do with anything?” Laughter in her eyes lit up her face, and all he wanted was to keep it there for her and for Sarada, even if the words weren’t quite there.

“Ugh….nevermind. Just get some rest. I’ll wake you up when we get home.” Leaning closer and secretly glad to feel her warmth against him, Sasuke wondered what the next memory they could make together would be.


End file.
